1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a method and system for automating travel agent operations. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for optimizing a user's travel services using user and business profiles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems in general and International Business Machines (IBM) compatible personal computer systems in particular have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today's modern society. Systems with microprocessors are finding themselves in an array of smaller and more specialized objects that previously were largely untouched by computer technology. Computer systems typically include a system processor and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, a display area, input means, and often interfaces, such as a network interface or modem, to other computing devices.
These computing devices are information handling systems which are designed primarily to give independent computing power to a single user, or a group of users in the case of networked computing devices. Personal computing devices are often inexpensively priced for purchase by individuals or businesses. Nonvolatile storage devices such as hard disks, CD-ROM drives and magneto-optical drives are considered to be peripheral devices. Computing devices are often linked to one another using a network, such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or other type of network, such as the Internet.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a system board to electrically connect these components together. At the heart of the system board is one or more processors. System manufacturers continually strive for faster, more powerful processors in order to supply systems for demanding applications.
Computer systems have become increasingly integrated with people's day-to-day lives. For example, many people keep their calendars electronically on a computer system. Another example is sending notes electronically as email rather than using postal or courier services. Computer automation has also proliferated to peoples' homes. For example, many people have “smart houses” that include home automation technology. This technology enables lights, appliances, and other devices to operate automatically. Computer technology has also improved consumer banking. Consumers can now transfer money and pay bills electronically without having to write and deliver checks. Even telephone systems are increasingly computerized with computers interfacing with telephone systems and configuring the telephone according to the user's preferences. Telephone control may even reside in the user's personal computer.
In this increasingly modern age, work life is often fast-paced and global in nature. Because of these factors, workers in many industry segments travel or are out of the office for many days throughout the year. The fast-paced nature of many industries causes workers to change their schedules and plans on a daily basis. When the user needs to travel, there are often many activities that should be performed prior to the user's travel date, while the user is traveling, and just prior to the user's return to the office. These activities include: (1) updating the user's electronic calendar, (2) withdrawing money for the trip, (3) sending emails informing others that the user will be away, (4) changing home automation settings to turn lights and appliances on/off when the user is away, (5) configuring the telephone to forward telephone calls or change the voice mail greeting provided to callers, (6) hold or forward home mail deliveries, (7) hold or forward home parcel deliveries, (8) hold or forward mail and parcels received by the company mailroom, (9) hold newspaper delivery, as well as other travel-related activities not mentioned above.
Currently, users perform travel related activities manually with little or no automation. Manually performing these activities is challenging to the user when facing the fast-paced work and travel environment of modern business. Because of the number of activities, it is difficult for users to remember to handle all travel-related tasks before traveling away from the office. Once away from the office, it is often much more difficult to perform travel related functions remotely. For example, to extend travel plans and have the post office hold mail longer, the user needs to contact his post office from a remote location and ask to have his mail held for an extended time. Contact information for local services, such as the post office or company mailroom, is often difficult to obtain when the user is at a remote location. What is needed, therefore, is a method for automating travel related actions to dynamically adjust to a user's ever-changing travel plans.